2026-10-08 - Council Committees Day 2

02:39t

02:39this time I will call the roll.

02:41I will call the roll. The clerk.

02:43Deputy clerk will call the roll

02:44for the people. Parks and

02:46Public Works Committee.

02:49>> Council member. Monroe here.

02:51Council member Gruber here.

02:53Council member. Patterson. Vice

02:56president Harris excused.

02:57President Melendez here. Thank

02:59you.

03:02>> We have a very short agenda

03:03today. Introductory number 371,

03:07authorizing an agreement

03:09related to standard

03:10construction contract documents.

03:13Any questions? Seeing none,

03:17I'll ask for a motion.

03:20>> Second.

03:21>> All those in favor, say I.

03:23>> I.

03:26>> Item passes. Introductory

03:31number 372. Authorizing receipt

03:33and use of funds and amending

03:35the 2020 627 budget for

03:38restoring damaged city street

03:40lighting infrastructure.

03:43Questions. Yes. Council member.

03:46Patterson.

03:48>> Can we get a a map and a

03:50listing of the addresses where

03:52the streetlights were damaged?

03:55>> Yeah. Of course.

03:57>> Thank you.

04:00>> Any other questions? Can I

04:02have a motion?

04:04>> Second.

04:05>> All those in favor, say aye.

04:08>> Aye.

04:09>> Those against, say nay.

04:11Motion carries. Introductory

04:14number 373. Authorizing

04:17agreement and funding for

04:18brownfield community wide

04:20assessment program. Yes.

04:22Council member Patterson.

04:24>> Can we get a map of the

04:26targeted areas?

04:29>> Yes we can. We can get you

04:31that map. But just for

04:32clarification, in the item,

04:34it's or in the proposal for

04:37that grant, we do illustrate

04:39two target areas, but we're not

04:42restricted to only doing

04:44assessments or remediation in

04:45those areas. So it is a it is a

04:48community wide. It's a citywide.

04:50But I can get you the corridors

04:51that we talked about for the

04:53Cliff Street and the Inner Loop

04:54North target areas.

04:56>> Well, are there other areas

04:57that you are looking at

04:59pursuing also at this time?

05:02>> Generally when a project

05:03comes up, we, we, we look at it

05:05and determine whether or not

05:07it's a, you know, eligible for

05:08that grant funding. But knowing

05:10the inner loop North and the

05:12High Falls State Park projects

05:14were coming. That's why we

05:16illustrated those two areas

05:17specifically.

05:19>> Okay. Well, could you give

05:21us everything that you might

05:22anticipate using with this

05:23grant funding?

05:25>> Yes.

05:25>> Thank you.

05:29>> Any other questions?

05:30>> I'll move it.

05:32>> Second.

05:33>> All those in favor, say aye.

05:35>> Aye.

05:36>> Against. Say nay. Motion

05:39carries. I wanted to thank d s

05:44with parks for taking care of

05:47the large round planter over at

05:51on Brown Street at the park

05:52there. I just saw that. So

05:54thank you. And that's it. With

05:58no further business, the people,

06:00Parks and Public Works

06:02Committee is adjourned.

06:10>> That is the shortest PPPW

06:13that we've ever had, I think.

06:19Public safety will be is

06:21noticed for for 15.

15:43All right.

15:44It is after 415. So we did

15:46notice this meeting a little

15:47earlier. Given the amount of

15:49items that were on the agenda.

15:52So at this time I will call the

15:54Public Safety Committee to

15:55order and ask the deputy clerk

15:57to call the roll.

15:59>> Vice President Harris

16:00excused. Council member Gruber,

16:03Council member Leslie Smith

16:05here. Council member Lupien

16:07excused. Council member.

16:09>> Martin here.

16:10>> Council member.

16:11>> Monroe here.

16:12>> Council member. Paterson.

16:14Council. Member. Smith.

16:16President. Melendez here. Thank

16:17you.

16:18>> Thank you. All right. So I'm

16:21going to just point out that we

16:23do have some reports from the

16:25administration and the PAB. I

16:27do want to highlight that. And

16:31I don't want to jinx this, but

16:32year over year our total fire

16:34incidents are down, which is

16:35always a good thing. And our

16:38calls for EMS service actually

16:40are down in the fire department

16:41slightly. But there's a bunch

16:46of data points. So if council

16:48members have questions, feel

16:49free to put them in, in writing

16:51to the administration following

16:52the meeting. So I'm going to

16:55move us straight to the

16:56legislative business. Today. We

16:58have introductory number 374, a

16:59bond ordinance of the City of

17:01Rochester, New York,

17:02authorizing the issuance of

17:05$2,167,000 bonds of said city

17:07to finance the replacements of

17:09engine eight at the South

17:10Avenue firehouse and engine

17:12three at the Emerson Street

17:14firehouse. Questions. Comments.

17:16Concerns. Council member

17:19Patterson.

17:20>> Public safety committee.

17:21Right. I'm just checking public

17:24safety committee. Right. I

17:25don't see no police. I don't

17:26see no fire. What's going on?

17:34>> Right. I, I don't know that

17:35the word got through that the

17:37meetings at 415 instead of 430.

17:40So but you do you need them

17:42here for something?

17:43>> Well, yeah. I mean, the two

17:44items we have before us are

17:46specifically police and fire.

17:48And, you know, I would like to

17:49ask them questions directly on

17:51the record because, you know,

17:53one of them is replacing a fire

17:54truck that's six years old. I

17:56think I understand why they're

17:57doing what they're doing, but I

17:59actually want to hear it. And

18:00so I really would like to hear

18:02from the fire chief.

18:04>> That's very fair.

18:05>> I don't mind waiting. I mean,

18:07if folks want to I mean, if we

18:08think they're showing up and

18:10they can be here by 430, you

18:11know, it ain't that busy a day

18:13for me. But I really would like

18:15to talk to the fire chief.

18:17>> Yeah. So I appreciate that.

18:18We just reached out, so maybe

18:19give it a minute.

18:21>> Se. We we we can if folks

18:23are amenable to that, we can

18:25hold for a minute. Yeah. All

18:26right.

18:27>> I'm good with it. I mean,

18:28anybody else. Anybody opposed.

18:30>> All right. So we'll we'll

18:32put ourselves on pause. Call it

18:33a recess.

18:34>> All right. Thanks.

18:37>> Can you also just track down

18:39what happened? Right. You're

18:40not sure what happened, but

18:42later on, can you confirm what

18:43happened and why they weren't

18:44here?

18:46>> You can rest assured. I'll

18:47be asking that question.

18:48>> Thank you.

18:50>> I, you know, I, I keep track

18:51of a lot of things. But there's

18:58a limit.

23:10>> All right. At this time,

23:11we're going to return from a

23:13recess. Love, folks, to get

23:22seated again. And then we will

23:32quickly jump back into 374. The

23:35bond authorization for fire

23:36apparatus. Council member

23:38Patterson.

23:39>> Thank you. Chief, I think I

23:40know what you're doing here

23:41with the fire truck, but I'd

23:43like you to explain it for the

23:44record. Now, the truck is six

23:46years old. You're ordering it

23:47now because it's going to take

23:49you five years to get it. So by

23:51the time you get it, it'll be

23:52old. Is that kind of what

23:54you're doing?

23:55>> Yes, sir.

23:55>> Okay. Thank you. I just

23:57wanted to understand because at

23:58first I'm reading it going,

23:59what's wrong with the truck?

24:01>> So in a nutshell, we're

24:03looking anywheres on the low

24:05side. Three and a half years.

24:07And it all depends on the

24:08orders. Up to five years.

24:10That's why we have to order it

24:11now. Okay. Thank you sir. And

24:13then from that, it'll go into

24:15reserve status.

24:16>> Okay.

24:16>> Thank you. You're welcome.

24:18>> Chief, as a follow up, what?

24:19What's the standard life of a

24:21typical truck?

24:23>> So for we have two styles of

24:25vehicles. One's an engine will

24:27run ten years frontline service,

24:29and then we'll go another eight

24:32years in reserve status. The

24:34truck's ladder companies will

24:37go ten years frontline service.

24:38And then we'll go another

24:41additional ten years into

24:42reserve status.

24:44>> Great. Thank you.

24:45>> You're welcome.

24:46>> Any additional questions?

24:48Hearing none, I'll entertain a

24:49motion. So moved. Second. All

24:52in favor, please say aye. Aye.

24:54Any opposed? Motion carries. So

25:01next we have introductory

25:02number 375. Governor's Traffic

25:05Safety Committee 2027,

25:07Pedestrian safety enforcement

25:08and Education program.

25:10Questions. Comments. Concerns.

25:11Council member Martin. Followed

25:13by Council member Monroe.

25:14>> Just two. Are there other

25:16agencies who also assist with

25:20developing the training

25:22curriculum?

25:25>> I'll have to get that back

25:27to you.

25:27>> Sounds good. And in writing.

25:29Also, can you share the

25:31curriculum for the training

25:32components?

25:33>> Absolutely.

25:34>> Thank you.

25:35>> Council member Monroe.

25:38>> Would you talk about the

25:40Operation See Be Seen campaign

25:41and what that consists of?

25:45>> So. In a nutshell, it is

25:51encouraging pedestrians to be

25:53more aware of their

25:54surroundings and also to make

25:55sure that they are visible to

25:56traffic.

25:59>> And what are the other ways

26:01that we are focusing on the

26:03pedestrian involved vehicle

26:06accidents.

26:06>> So there are some

26:08enforcement details that are

26:10there's general requirements

26:12from the grant that we're

26:13required to do by the state. I

26:14can get them to you.

26:16>> Okay. And then do they

26:17require certain kinds of

26:19enforcement details? Do they or

26:21are we able to tailor that to

26:23what we need?

26:26>> Well, yes and no. One of the

26:31requirements is monitoring and

26:33doing crosswalk enforcement.

26:37One of the recent details, I

26:39was not particularly happy the

26:40way it was handled. So I'm

26:41actually going to modify it and

26:44we'll see what the state says.

26:45But I feel that that it was too

26:48much of a a danger to my

26:49personnel to have that style of

26:51a detail.

26:53>> And we still have just four

26:55officers who are traffic

26:57enforcement.

26:58>> Currently, the traffic unit

26:59is one sergeant, three officers

27:02with one of those three

27:03retiring this year.

27:06>> And are they all on at the

27:08same time then as far as shifts?

27:11>> Yes, they work daytime hours.

27:16>> For the the pedestrian who

27:20sadly was hit and killed at

27:21Flower City and Lake Avenue,

27:24was that pedestrian walking in

27:26a crosswalk, or were they just

27:27near the corner?

27:30>> My understanding was that

27:31pedestrian was in the crosswalk.

27:35I don't know, without checking

27:37if that was, you know, what we

27:39call an active crosswalk where

27:40you push the button, the lights

27:41come on. Or if that was just a

27:43standard crosswalk, I'd have to

27:45get that back to you. The

27:46operator of the vehicle did

27:48have the a green light at that

27:52time, but there are also

27:54criminal charges pending.

27:56>> Okay. Thanks. So as we know,

28:00Lake Avenue is the most

28:01dangerous place for motor

28:04vehicle accidents. Pedestrians

28:07being killed in the state. And

28:10I had the the fortune to be a

28:14part of the last traffic

28:17enforcement detail that was

28:18done on Lake Avenue. So I know

28:21what you're saying here about,

28:22you know, it being dangerous

28:24and finding this a little bit

28:27later. But what was so

28:29disturbing was so I was going

28:31home. My son was driving the

28:33car in front of me. We're in

28:35the left hand lane. Only people

28:36going 35mph, like I always do

28:39on Lake Avenue and make people

28:40upset. So we're in the left

28:42hand lane. We pass through the

28:44light at Felps. We're on

28:46northbound and a little bit

28:48past that. There is a

28:50pedestrian crosswalk unmarked.

28:51I mean, it's marked, but it

28:53doesn't have lights. It doesn't

28:54have, you know, anything

28:56special except for the white

28:57Stripes regularly driving on

29:00Lake Avenue. I know that what

29:02you're looking out for are

29:03people who will be coming out

29:05into the street at any time,

29:06from any direction, between

29:08cars wearing all black,

29:09whatever it is. So you pay a

29:12lot of attention on Lake Avenue.

29:14So went through the green light,

29:16come up to that portion. And

29:17there was a person, a man at

29:20the curb who was at the curb.

29:22And then he kind of took a few

29:24steps into the road, and then

29:26he went back. And then he went

29:27in and he wasn't even like

29:29fully passed a parked car and,

29:31you know, saw the person at the

29:32same time that we've got three

29:34cars with lights on and

29:37motorists pulled over. So kind

29:39of, you know, trying to process

29:41all of this at the same time.

29:43And again, he wasn't like

29:45totally in the walkway. We're

29:48on the left hand side. We

29:50continue on. And then so my, my

29:52son was pulled over and he was

29:54told that, you know, he had

29:56gone through the pedestrian

29:57crosswalk and was issued a

29:59ticket. I had pulled over as

30:01well. So then the officer came

30:02by and he let me know that Lake

30:03Avenue is indeed the most

30:05dangerous street in New York

30:07State. I said, thank you. He he

30:10talked to me about what had

30:12happened, and I said, yes, I

30:14certainly won't do that again,

30:16officer. And I respect the fact

30:19that, yes, we did not follow

30:21the law, that as soon as

30:22somebody steps in that

30:24crosswalk, we should have

30:25stopped. However, that being

30:28said, doing a detail that is a

30:33setup that is also even a

30:35totally unrealistic happening

30:39on Lake Avenue. The problem

30:41isn't people going on those

30:43crosswalks and people blowing

30:44through them. The problem is

30:46the speeding, the reckless

30:48driving. And so, you know, it

30:51was stated by our PD, then you

30:53know that they gave 92 tickets

30:55out. Of course, they gave 92

30:56tickets out because I really

30:58pay attention on that street.

31:00And, and, you know, my son got

31:01the ticket. And, and so it was,

31:04it was really disturbing to me

31:06that it was kind of just that

31:08like building up numbers when

31:10the traffic enforcement unit,

31:11as you were saying, if

31:13modifying it, doing something

31:15that's actually helpful because

31:17the number of times that I've

31:18been at the corner where the,

31:20the tops was, and I've seen

31:23people careen around a corner

31:24and there's a mom with a

31:25stroller who's coming off,

31:26we've got a red light. She's

31:28got the white walk sign. That's

31:31the person who needs to be

31:32pulled over. Those are the

31:34people that were having the

31:35problem with. So, you know,

31:36giving 92 tickets, of course,

31:38everybody was set up. They're

31:39going to get tickets, but we

31:41need to stop what's really

31:42happening, as you know, which

31:44is the reckless driving, the

31:45continued running through red

31:46lights, which we see all over

31:48the city. And I'm, I'm very

31:51hopeful that we will, at some

31:52point be able to have a truly

31:55active traffic enforcement that

31:57will be at these places and

31:59catch people when they're doing

32:00these egregious things. So

32:04that's all I wanted to share.

32:05>> Okay. Yeah, we had

32:07conversations about this. You

32:09know, that detail was done

32:10because the state informed us

32:11we were in violation of the

32:13terms of the grant. We were

32:15required to we were required to

32:17do that type of detail. However,

32:18that being said, I think

32:19there's more than one way that

32:21you can do a crosswalk detail,

32:23especially with technology

32:24these days, very easily for us

32:26to monitor crosswalk remotely

32:28with cameras, you know, things

32:31like that. Number one, I think

32:33it's high risk for the officers

32:35doing that. Certainly not worth

32:37what we're getting out of it.

32:40And also, like you said, I, I

32:41think there's just more

32:42intelligent ways to go about it.

32:44So that type of detail by my

32:47order is not going to be done

32:48again, but we're going to look

32:50at what we can do yet honor the

32:52terms of the grant.

32:54>> Excellent. And I really

32:56appreciate it because it's that

32:57kind of, you know, willingness

32:59to, to change things and, and

33:01alter, which is, you know, what

33:03I'm seeing with your leadership

33:05as we try to change the way

33:07things are done and, and make a,

33:08a, a smarter, better, more what

33:11it is, should be today police

33:12force. So I appreciate that.

33:15The one other thing I wanted to

33:16mention, of course, was since

33:18we're in the left hand lane,

33:19this person was all the way on

33:21the right hand side. My heavens,

33:22if I was slowing down or if I

33:24had stopped for that guy that

33:26wasn't even like, really in the

33:28street, I don't know who would

33:30have been crashing into me from

33:32behind. You know, it's

33:33different when you actually see

33:34a person crossing the street.

33:36So I'm sure that you thought of

33:37that as well. But I just wanted

33:39to bring that up as another

33:40safety hazard. Thanks.

33:43>> I have three quick questions,

33:44chief. So we have four

33:47corridors, three in the

33:48northwest, one in the northeast.

33:50I'm assuming the selection of

33:51the corridors were based on

33:53data crashes, that kind of

33:54thing.

33:55>> Correct.

33:56>> Right. And then in terms of

33:59operation see and be seen, I

34:01know it's a state campaign, but

34:04have we put thought into how

34:06this dovetails or fits into

34:08rock Vision Zero?

34:12>> Not to my knowledge, but I

34:13will check and get back to you.

34:15>> Yeah, I think that would be

34:17a good conversation at least.

34:19And then the final question,

34:22given that we're targeting

34:23these four very specific

34:25corridors, has there been a

34:28community engagement strategy

34:30in terms of awareness that we

34:32are doing this work in those

34:33specific four neighborhoods, or

34:36what does that look like,

34:37possibly, whether it's like

34:39tabling at events or doing

34:41outreach in that neighborhood,

34:42that kind of thing.

34:43>> Right? I, I can tell you on

34:45the West side, the Lyle Avenue,

34:47the Lake Avenue, yes, there has

34:48been outreach. I will have to

34:51check. I would hope we had done

34:52some on the other two, but I

34:54will verify. And if we haven't,

34:56we will.

34:56>> Great. Thank you. Any

34:58additional questions? Comments.

34:59Concerns. Council Member Martin.

35:02>> In writing. Chief, can you

35:03please send a copy of the

35:07agreements, the grant agreement

35:08with the state, and maybe

35:09highlight the portion that they

35:11allege was violated?

35:13>> Certainly.

35:13>> Thank you.

35:14>> I entertain a motion. It's

35:17been moved. Seconded. All in

35:19favor, please say aye. Aye. Any

35:22opposed? Motion carries with no

35:24further business. The Public

35:25Safety Committee. Oh. Council

35:27member reports. Okay. Council

35:31Member Martin, you have

35:32questions on the reports?

35:33>> Yes. So for the report.

35:35Thank you, Doctor Meyer Small

35:37for the report. I have a

35:40question for Patrick. Any and

35:44you, Doctor Murray. Small any

35:46updates on data access? Have

35:49you all been able to reach an

35:52agreement around the PEB

35:54accessing the data that they

35:56need for policy and oversight

35:58investigations?

35:58>> I think so I'll let I'll let

36:00Doctor Meyer small speak to

36:02that too. But we had a meeting

36:04that I was a part of that I, I

36:06think we had a meeting of the

36:08minds about a path forward. And

36:09since then I know the chief and

36:11PAB have been meeting on

36:12specifics, so I. I believe

36:13we've got a path.

36:15>> Can you hear me now?

36:16>> Yes, I can.

36:17>> Great. Good evening, Council

36:19members. Yes. I feel like we've

36:21we've had we had a productive

36:22meeting that involved. Patrick.

36:23I mentioned that at the last

36:25council meeting and then a few

36:27weeks ago, I met with Chief

36:30Smith and Captain Swetman, and

36:32we had. I feel it was very

36:34productive. We not we're not

36:35where we need to be as of yet,

36:37but we continue to, I feel, to

36:39move forward with positive

36:41momentum. The next week we met

36:44with Captain Swetman and we

36:46actually went through the data

36:49portals that they use. So we

36:51began to unpack that to see

36:53just how clunky and antiquated

36:55some of the systems actually

36:56are. And so when we make

36:58requests, we're able to see

37:00almost in real time how long it

37:02takes to fulfill those requests.

37:04The chief and I are meeting in

37:06a few weeks again, and I will

37:07continue to keep council

37:09updated.

37:09>> Great. Thank you. And in

37:11writing, can you, I guess,

37:14summarize where you are

37:16materially and where you're

37:17hoping to go and what you

37:19believe it'll take to get there

37:21regarding data access?

37:23>> Absolutely.

37:24>> Thank you. And I have a

37:25second question. And I, I think

37:28it may need to be discussed in

37:29executive session, since it's

37:31about a personnel matter and a

37:34lawsuit. And I think you may

37:35know what that's about. And I

37:37don't want to say any more, but.

37:40>> Yes, I, I think I'm reading

37:41between the lines. Yeah. If it

37:43has to do with litigation and a

37:45personnel matter that could

37:46have implications for, for a

37:47person's employment, then those

37:48are things that should be

37:49discussed in executive session.

37:52>> So, Mr. President, just you

37:54know, things are moving this

37:55there's a new update around

37:57this around that. So I would I

37:58want to ask if you'd be open to

38:00having an executive session

38:02discussion with Law and Doctor

38:04Myers small.

38:07>> Certainly for, for those

38:08that would like to stick around,

38:11absolutely would entertain a

38:12motion on going into executive

38:14session.

38:16>> So just some guidance on

38:17that motion. Whoever makes the

38:18motion, let's be specific that

38:20it is a motion to discuss

38:23litigation either pending or

38:26anticipated or continuing. And

38:29it sounds like it also may be

38:31litigation that will affect a

38:34person's personnel status.

38:37>> So I'd like to make a motion

38:39to go into executive session to

38:41discuss litigation, ongoing

38:44litigation, pending litigation

38:46that might be continuous, that

38:48affects a person's employment.

38:52>> Is there a second?

38:56>> Second.

38:58>> It's been seconded. So all

39:00in favor, please say aye.

39:03>> Aye.

39:04>> I'll say I. Any opposed? Do

39:12I need to do I need to do a

39:15roll call vote. All right. So

39:22here we are. We're going to go

39:24in executive session. Thank you.

39:33>> Can we can we hold on. I I

39:35don't let's wait. A vote was

39:39taken. I didn't hear I heard

39:41one yay. Cast no nays. And then

39:45there was an invitation to roll

39:46call and a roll call wasn't

39:48taken. Do we have a vote? Was

39:51there a vote? I don't know that

40:00to be the standard. Otherwise

40:01we'd just take nay votes and

40:04see what happens. Yeah, yeah.

40:12But here we I unless my ears

40:15fail me. I didn't hear a single.

40:17Yay. I didn't roll call.

40:24>> Council member Gruber. Yes.

40:27Council member Leslie Smith.

40:29Yes. Council member. Lupien.

40:31Excuse. Council member. Martin.

40:34>> Yes.

40:35>> Council member. Monroe.

40:38Council member. Patterson.

40:39>> Sure.

40:41>> Council member. Smith. Vice

40:44president. Harris. Excused.

40:46President. Melendez.

40:47>> Yes.

40:48>> Thank you.

40:49>> Now, that's a vote.

40:57>> Yeah. No. No. No. Yeah. Your

40:58office, your office. Your

41:01office. The mayor's office. Our

41:02office. Our other conference

41:05room. Yeah, we're going to come

41:09back in here. We're coming back.

41:17To vote no. You voted yes.

41:34>> I. See I was going to call

41:44you up here for a second. I see

41:48I looked at you, I'm like, okay,

41:51so I'll see you. Thank you so

41:54much.

53:57>> I'm pro-life. Hold on, hold

53:59on. I'm sorry. That was bad. I

54:01support human rights, so I'm

54:03pro-choice. But I thought he

54:04was right.

54:06>> He's all over the place.

54:07>> This is recording.

54:08>> My mic's hot.

54:11>> Wow.

54:13>> All right, at this time,

54:15we'll make a motion to return

54:16from executive session.

54:17>> So moved.

54:19>> It's been moved in second.

54:20All in favor, please say aye.

54:22And with no further business,

54:23the Public Safety Committee

54:26stands adjourned.

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